Texas Tech University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

TTU does not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment. TTU's non-discrimination and anti-harassment policy is set forth in Texas Tech University System Regulation 07.10, which can be found here. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/op40.02.php

"The Student Handbook (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/dos/handbook/) provides several reporting options and policy references, see sections below. Part I, Section A Student Conduct Mission and Policies 6. Reporting Allegations of Misconduct Part I, Section C Conduct Procedures for Students Part II, Section C Anti-Discrimination Policy Part II, Section E Complaint Process If there is insufficient evidence to support the claim, it will be dismissed. Appeal is possible by submitting a formal request in writing to the Associate Vice-Provost for Student Affairs. This information will be provided to the student at the time of notification that the complaint has been dismissed. TTU does have a specific policy, including a grievance policy (OP 40.04 – Access for Individuals with Disabilities), where student, faculty, or staff member can file a complaint with the university based on an act of discrimination towards them based on their specific disability. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/sds/currentstudents/DiscriminationComplaint.php http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP40.04.pdf http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP40.03.pdf Texas Tech connects students to appropriate resources and support groups through the Campus Inclusion Resource Team (CIRT). “The CIRT serves to connect students who are negatively impacted by another's words or actions to appropriate University resources and support, and to inform education and outreach efforts that promote a caring, inclusive learning environment for all Red Raiders. The goal of the CIRT is to promote the University's stated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, free speech, and academic freedom. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/rise/CIRTreport.php https://www.depts.ttu.edu/scc/Group_Counseling/group_descriptions.php https://www.depts.ttu.edu/rise/campusinclusionresourceteam.php

Student Recruitment - The Raiders Rojos Alumni Network will serve as a viable recruitment tool for Texas Tech University System. It will continue to assist the institution with its goal to maintain the status of a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). This will enable Texas Tech University System to access the pool of federal dollars now available to HSI institutions and further enhance the Mission of the Raiders Rojos Alumni Network. The Raiders Rojos Alumni Network recruits students with their mission to promote the retention and graduation attainment of Hispanic students within the Texas Tech University System by providing a strong support system that includes, but is not limited to, scholarship, mentoring, and networking opportunities. https://www.tturaidersrojos.org/ https://www.depts.ttu.edu/psy/clinical/diversity.php Long-Term Systematic Efforts at Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Faculty and Students The TTU Clinical Psychology Program (CPP) recognizes that our communities, society, and the world, in general, are rapidly changing and becoming increasingly diverse. Thus, the CPP is committed to providing a supportive and encouraging learning environment that is conducive to learning about, and demonstrating respect for, cultural diversity. The CPP is committed to preparing graduate students to competently and effectively work with a diverse group of individuals. Consistent with this, the CPP has a breadth of strategies for recruiting and retaining both diverse faculty and students. Open faculty positions are advertised across multiple organizations aimed at increasing the diversity of our hiring pools, including the National Latinx Psychological Association, APA Division 45 (Ethnic Minority Issues), ABPsi (The Association of Black Psychologists), across multiple EMPAs (Ethnic Minority Psychological Associations), AAHE (American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education), and special interests groups of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (African Americans in Behavior Therapy, Hispanic Issues in Behavior Therapy). Announcements for faculty positions are subjected to review and revision by the Lead Administrator in the Office of Institutional Diversity at Texas Tech University (currently Paul Ruiz, J.D.), and the Clinical Search Committee's rankings of applicants are also reviewed. The Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Texas Tech University oversees equity standards and university-wide education and training on diversity and requires diverse members on all faculty search committees. All advertisements for faculty positions include a statement encouraging minorities and underrepresented groups to apply. Additionally, Texas Tech University has recently initiated a new procedure to further increase diversity in all open positions. More specifically, Texas Tech has worked out an agreement with Job Elephant to facilitate outside advertising. With this agreement, every position (faculty and staff) will be listed in the following places: Blacks in Higher Education (www.blacksinhighered.com), Hispanics in Higher Education (www.hispanicsinhighered.com), Veterans in Higher Education (www.veteransinhighered.com), and Disabled in Higher Education (www.disabledinhighered.com). The CPP also strives to recruit and retain diverse students. Texas Tech University's undergraduate student body is over 25% Hispanic. Importantly, Texas Tech University recently achieved official designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Of the 131 Carnegie Tier One institutions, Texas Tech is one of just 15 to earn this designation. Diversity is also considered when determining students to invite for our clinical interview day and when formal offers are made to potential graduate students. Efforts to improve our recruitment and retention of diverse students and faculty are established in a variety of ways, including a program-level assessment of recruitment and retention efforts. A committee of CPP faculty and students develop, refine, and obtain feedback regarding our efforts via a variety of methods (e.g., program-level climate survey), and the program promotes diversity in our training curriculum and in the environments and climates we establish (e.g., external practicum placements). Additional efforts at recruiting and retaining diverse faculty and students are implemented via department-wide diversity efforts. For example, our website includes information relevant to the departmental Diversity Committee (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/psy/diversity/). The mission of the Diversity Committee in the Department of Psychological Sciences includes the following elements: assist the Department in providing a culturally sensitive environment in which all members of the Department community have opportunities to thrive professionally and personally; support recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff, and students; facilitate and promote opportunities for learning and discussion related to diversity throughout the curriculum, in our research and service, and in extracurricular activities; and to serve as a liaison and resource for students, staff, faculty, and administrators on issues related to equity, diversity, and multiculturalism. The committee's mission is consistent with the mission and vision of the Texas Tech University Division of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement, and the American Psychological Association best practices for training multiculturally competent psychologists. Current diversity committee goals and projects include an annual diversity day, an annual diversity art contest and show (with entries into the art contest later displayed throughout the Psychology building), the Diversity in Psychological Science Graduate Research Award, a student/staff/faculty diversity spotlight, a departmental climate survey, diversity in teaching initiatives, and departmental diversity recruitment trips to Hispanic Serving Institutions. The Department also hosts speakers for our Diversity Week. For example, in the Spring of 2020, we invited Dr. Tierney Lorenz to present to our students and faculty and we regularly recruit speakers for the Department's Skelton Lecture Series who contribute to research and training related to diversity. Another activity during our Diversity Week includes our Department's Diversity Poster Session, which aims to highlight theoretical or empirical research on diversity, inclusivity, disparities, or underrepresented groups and invites submissions from all undergraduate and graduate students at the university. Further, all job candidates for faculty positions have a stand-alone meeting with a member of the Diversity Committee to discuss current initiatives related to diversity at both the Department and University level and provide a dedicated place for all applicants to ask questions related to diversity. Additionally, the CPP has a thoughtful and coherent training plan that integrates issues related to cultural and individual diversity throughout the curriculum and provides relevant knowledge and experiences with regard to cultural and individual diversity in psychology as it relates to the science and practice of professional psychology. The CPP requires a stand-alone course that focuses on issues related to cultural diversity. CPP graduate students take either Psy 5396: Multicultural Counseling or Psy 5398: Ethnic Minority & Community Interventions. Additional courses taken by our students include diversity-related content, including Psy 5304: Practicum in Intelligence Testing, Psy 5338: Seminar in Psychopathology, Psy 5318: Introduction to Clinical Psychology, Psy 5101: Colloquium in the Teaching of Psychology, Psy 5306: Seminar in Professional Ethics, Psy 5303: Developmental Psychopathology, Psy 5311: Introduction to Psychotherapeutic Intervention and Management, Psy 5312: Introduction to Child and Adolescent Psychological Treatment, and Psy 5314: Beginning Child Practicum. CPP students also gain experience in working with clients from diverse backgrounds and presenting problems through a variety of internal and external practicum work. Their first experience is through the TTU Psychology Clinic. The TTU Psychology Clinic serves the greater West Texas community and offers services on a sliding fee scale. Given this, students have the opportunity to work with clients from very diverse backgrounds related to ethnicity and race, age, socioeconomic status, etc. Students continue to gain clinical experience with diverse populations once they start working in the community. In summary, the CPP has a thoughtful and coherent plan in place to recruit diverse faculty and students and a training plan in place to expose our students to cultural diversity topics and culturally diverse populations. The CPP faculty and students regularly assess the effectiveness of these efforts and work toward obtaining feedback and recommendations regarding ways in which our efforts can be improved.

In partnership with the Division of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Student Affairs has recently formed a Campus Climate Response Team (CCRT) to receive and review any incoming Campus Climate incident reports detailing allegations or bias, discrimination directed toward a specific student, group of students, or student organization based on a protected classification (age, race, gender, sex, etc.). Students may access a link to report incidents electronically via the Dean of Students, Risk Intervention Safety Education (RISE), or Diversity, Equity, or Inclusion web pages. Mentor Tech is a group which through faculty and staff mentoring and peer group networking, to improve the retention and eventual graduation rates of all students in the Texas Tech University System, with a special focus on those from underrepresented groups, by fostering a campus climate that is conducive to their academic, social, and cultural needs and interests. Texas Tech also has First Generation College Student Programs. From resource fairs to marketing and presentations, First Generation Transition and Mentoring Programs promote access to higher education by focusing on First-Generation College (FGC) students. Purpose: To enhance the quality of the educational experience of students from underrepresented populations through programs, services, advocacy, and campus and community involvement. Mission: Through faculty and staff mentoring and peer group networking, to improve the retention and eventual graduation rates of all students in the Texas Tech University System, with a special focus on those from underrepresented groups, by fostering a campus climate that is conducive to their academic, social, and cultural needs and interests. Goals: Provide students with information, encouragement, and direction while assisting them in reaching their academic, personal, and professional goals. Encourage positive and realistic self-appraisals, intellectual development and clarification of values, appropriate personal choices, wellness, and collaboration. Promote and encourage academic and personal growth and community involvement. Enhance the quality of student adjustment and campus life by identifying environmental conditions that may negatively affect their experience in the Texas Tech University System. Provide leadership in the promotion of multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion. Provide support for initiatives designed to recruit and retain students from underrepresented groups. Promote advocacy for students and their rights. Assure equal access and opportunity for all students. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/diversity/dream/dac.php https://www.depts.ttu.edu/scc/Virtual_Library/resources1.php https://www.depts.ttu.edu/lgbtqia/Documents/LGBTQIA_Counseling_S22.pdf https://www.depts.ttu.edu/lgbtqia/allies.php https://www.depts.ttu.edu/staffsenate/about/blacklivesmatters.php https://www.depts.ttu.edu/staffsenate/about/stopAsianHate.php Faculty/Staff Ally Training for Faculty & Staff: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/lgbtqia/facultyresources.php Attending an LGBTQIA Ally training led by the Office of LGBTQIA Education & Engagement is one of the best ways faculty can check their assumptions, continue their education around the LGBTQIA community, offer solutions when needed, and connect with available resources for faculty, staff, and students. Becoming an ally furthers faculty and campus commitment to students and enhances departmental ally visibility. HEED: https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/local/2021/09/24/decade-excellence-texas-tech-earns-heed-award-10th-straight-year/5831197001/ “Texas Tech is better able to recruit and retain students, faculty, and staff when we provide an environment that is supportive and inclusive,” said Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec. “It is gratifying to be recognized for those efforts.” DDEI includes 12 divisional units that strive to increase programming and services in all areas of diversity, with programs that support students across race and ethnicity, gender, first-generation status, veteran status, the LGBTQIA community, and people with disabilities. The division has created an environment conducive to the development of professional skills, individual creativity, personal excellence, and social awareness for all students, faculty, and staff. Rawls Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/rawlsbusiness/diversity/committee/ The Rawls Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is an active advisory committee comprised of students, staff, and faculty from a diverse range of orientations, backgrounds, and experiences. The committee strives to foster, value, and embrace diversity within Rawls College and works to develop the capabilities of students, staff, and faculty to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive climate in which all members of our community feel safe, respected, and empowered. Additionally, the committee encourages the recruitment of a highly diverse student, staff, and faculty population throughout the college and supports the success of individuals from historically underrepresented or non-traditional backgrounds. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/diversity/faculty_staff.php https://www.depts.ttu.edu/mentortech/About_Us.php

The McNair Scholars Program prepares undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. McNair participants are either first-generation college students with financial need or members of a group that is historically underrepresented in graduate education and have demonstrated strong academic potential. McNair provides a series of workshops on research methods, data collection, research writing, and maintaining research budgets. These workshops culminate in an eight-week research summer program where students with their Faculty Mentor complete a research project that simulates graduate school level work. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/diversity/mcnair/

Gender Neutral Bathrooms List: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/lgbtqia/Gender_Inclusive_Facilities.pdf